


Can you really call this a Hotel, there weren't even Mints on the Pillows

by aroseandapen, rychuu



Series: Danganronpa V3 AU: We're a Two-For-One Special [6]
Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Gen, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-23
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-01 07:14:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,928
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15769194
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aroseandapen/pseuds/aroseandapen, https://archiveofourown.org/users/rychuu/pseuds/rychuu
Summary: Kurochi Ouma finds a Love Key in his possession, and falls victim to the Key's spell... but which classmate will he meet in his dreams?





	1. Introduction

‘Key of Love’.

Kurochi couldn’t say what it was about it exactly that attracted him. Maybe it was the fact that its appearance didn’t give much away about its use, or what it unlocked, although the name gave him an inkling of what it might do. His natural curiosity latched onto the mystery, and getting it didn’t involve much risk. After all, what else was he going to do with tokens he won in the casino, other than spend it on the variety of strange items there.

He won it though and now sat in the room he shared with his brother, examining it. It had a nice enough design, the end shaped like a heart with a red jewel inside, though Kurochi doubted that was what interested him. Something  _ else _ about it had gotten his attention, and now wouldn’t let go. Not only that, but it came with a set of instructions that put him on edge about it as well.

“ _ They will see you as their ‘ideal’ and basically just swoon all over you _ ”–it sounded creepy, like tricking one of his classmates into spending a night with him that they didn’t ask for. And one which, according to the instructions, neither of them would remember upon waking.

“ _ If you do something that breaks character, the other person will wake up in anguish. _ ”

He glanced over his shoulder, at his brother sleeping on the other side of the bed. Kokichi would tell him to throw it out. Kurochi agreed that’d be for the best. When he imagined being in the place of the one having the fantasy, completely unaware that someone else had slipped into this role of his ideal, it made him feel sick.

Nor did he particularly like the idea of spending such a time reenacting a fantasy with someone else. It made him incredibly uncomfortable, especially the implication that, if he didn’t follow along with the fantasy, it would cause the other person to wake up in ‘anguish’. No part of that sounded like something he wanted, no matter how curious he might be about what would happen if he used the key.

Yet staring down at the key, something about it made a part of him revolt at the thought of throwing it out. His grip on it tightened without his meaning to, as if fighting against his thought to get rid of the key. Insatiable curiosity bubbled up in his chest, a rising desire to see what might happen if he did use the key overwhelming him. He shook his head at the sensation. He would never do something like that to anyone else, nor did he want to be wrapped up and pushed to act as someone’s ideal in their fantasy.

But just a peek wouldn’t hurt, right?

The thought surfaced suddenly, startling him. It didn’t feel quite attached to him, like an idea put there elsewhere, but he’d thought it nonetheless. Was that right? A peek? If things got too weird or uncomfortable he could just leave, anyway.

Right?

The key felt heavy and warm in his hand as he laid down to sleep, his fingers curled protectively around it.

Maybe... yes, just a peek. That didn’t sound too bad at all...

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To give credit where credit is due, L wrote this introduction all by herself. However, the next chapters will be written by us both, and edited by Rylie!
> 
> We both hope you enjoy the ride!


	2. Korekiyo Shinguji

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning, chapter contains mentions of incest and mentions of past sexual assault. Please tread with caution!

Korekiyo Shinguji, the Ultimate Anthropologist.

What kind of fantasy would someone who loved all of humanity even have?

As if he was expecting Kurochi to come into the room filled with lust and greed, Korekiyo stood there and stared at Kurochi. Korekiyo was not unlike a serpent, slender and strange while holding endless knowledge over the cultures of humanity. His movements were always thoughtful and calculated. Worst yet, however, were how those golden eyes of his pierced into the air and into Kurochi’s very soul, striking and alluring all at once.

A snake that would whisper the temptation of sin into his ear. Perhaps, if angered, Korekiyo would even become the kind of serpent to sink his fangs into his prey and stop their heart with his venom.

Kurochi swallowed a hard lump in his throat. He didn’t want to be on the other end of Korekiyo’s wrath.

"Kehehe... Kurochi." Korekiyo’s voice never wavered from the calm, somewhat sinister tone it always held, as his gaze remained sharp and fixated on Kurochi. "So, you've come to me because you finally understand, yes?"

A chill ran down his spine. Already, Kurochi felt like he regretted coming into this place. This place where he’d play the role as someone’s ‘ideal’, whatever that entailed. Korekiyo was creepy enough in real life already; he didn’t know if he could handle whatever this fantasy was about. Regardless, his opening line didn’t give Kurochi much to go off of.

Kurochi stared up at Korekiyo, confused and eyes widened. He already felt too wound up, too frightened to continue this scenario.

Kurochi drew in a deep breath. Maybe he was projecting his opinion of Korekiyo too much onto this scenario. Maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as he was expecting.

He could hope.

“… Understand?” His voice was surprisingly steady for how anxious the air of the room made him.

Korekiyo raised a brow. "Oh...? Was all the interest you showed in me merely a lie?"

His expression never faltered, never gained any anger or resentment nor did it dim with betrayal or sadness. His eyes only remained sharp and cold, sending chills up Kurochi’s spine. Kurochi’s eyes fell away, the apprehension in his chest growing. “N-no...? No, it wasn’t a… lie.”

"Well, whether it is true or false is irrelevant to me." A very subtle warmth grew in Korekiyo’s tone as he continued; "The passion you showed me... I fell victim to its beauty. So as you wish, I will accompany you for but a single night."

Kurochi wondered just what passion he’d—or rather, Korekiyo’s _ideal_ —showed him just before.

Korekiyo raised a hand to brush the hair out of his face, yet he continued to stare at him. "But as I said before, there will never be a time where I love you. You're all right with that, yes?"

Those final words surprised Kurochi into glancing up again, his confusion deepening. “What?” That... was strange for a scenario where he would be Korekiyo’s ideal partner. Where the other felt no love for his ideal, but rather, his ideal felt love for him.

“That’s... fine?” He didn’t think he much wanted Korekiyo’s love here anyway, with how he looked at him right now, like a serpent who’s eyes caught on to a mouse.

"Whatever is the matter?" His tone had shifted somewhat, now chilled from Kurochi's apprehension. "If you are having second thoughts, you can always run away."

Kurochi chewed on his lower lip, still anxious but now concerned that he was ruining this... fantasy, right. Korekiyo hadn’t even made any moves on him, and already he was acting so skittish. Korekiyo always acted a little strange, creepy even, but he never harmed anyone. At least, to Kurochi’s knowledge.

He mentally scolded himself. No, no. There wasn’t even a good reason to doubt Korekiyo. Kurochi may have not known him before the Killing Game, but it was wrong to assume he had been a predator just from the stereotypes he knew.

Taking a deep breath, Kurochi tried to calm himself. It’d be fine, he could do this. He might even be able to steer it away from where he knew it was heading. As long as he didn’t freak out over nothing, anyway.

He shook his head. “No. Nothing, I’m not...” Kurochi’s voice trailed off, his mind fixated on the term “run away.” Korekiyo was strange, sure, but… that was an alarming thing to say, no matter who you were.

All the while, Korekiyo had been silent, patient as Kurochi worked through his thoughts and feelings. "Oh, it is quite all right. I wouldn't blame you. Rather, it is I who would be at fault."

Kurochi's anxiousness seemed to have an effect on Korekiyo, making him more hesitant than he was known for. Even still, his voice never changed, never wavered. "After all, I am only responding to your feelings out of simple curiosity." Korekiyo hugged himself and chuckled. "What you have asked of me is... quite interesting, I do say so myself. No one has ever asked this of me before. Kehehe..."

Kurochi swallowed, doing his best to smile. He’d made his mind up already to see it through to the end and to play out his role as best as he could. Reminding himself that he could leave if he had to, if whatever it was turned out to be just as frightening as Korekiyo claimed it might be, he asked, “Ah, really? No one has before?”

"Of course not." Korekiyo chuckled. "It is not something people ask others to do, not like this, at any rate. Of course this would be the first time someone has asked this of me." Korekiyo's gaze finally turned away from Kurochi, and to the bed.

Korekiyo's back straightened, and he traced the rim of his hat with his index finger and thumb. "It might seem frightening at first... But I will tell you this: you will enjoy it. Now... if you are ready to proceed..." His voice, thick and heavy, carried through the room as he walked over to the bed, reached down, and pulled a bundle of red rope from underneath.

Kurochi took two faltering steps forward, then stopped. His eyes landed on the rope Korekiyo produced and stuck there. Realizing that in this scenario, he intended to tie Kurochi up made his chest tighten with alarm.

"Do not worry... It's only frightening at first.” Kurochi could almost hear Korekiyo smiling underneath that mask. “But I promise you, I will open the door to a world of pleasure you have yet to experience."

“I’m—I, uh...” Apprehension progressed into a genuine fear that bled through him. He couldn’t continue with this; he took a step back. Korekiyo’s words, promising pleasure for him, rang in his ears, but instead of being alluring as they were no doubt intended, it made Kurochi feel sick to hear them.

Korekiyo paused again at Kurochi's fear. However, he only snickered. "Nervous, are you? There is no need to worry, Kurochi."

Korekiyo glided forward, rope swinging from one fist as the other grabbed Kurochi’s arm. The moment his fingers closed around it, any coherent thoughts Kurochi might have had before dissolved into grey static. Every muscle in his body tensed, straining back without struggling against the hold on him.

"It is only frightening at first, I can assure you," Korekiyo repeated. His grip around Kurochi’s arm tightened. "Now, come here, be a good boy, and give yourself to me. Your fear, worry, anger and love... Every part of you, every last drop of it... I will reveal all of your beauty."

Kurochi couldn’t breathe. Korekiyo’s words rolled over him and made him feel like he was drowning. His mouth opened, but he couldn’t say anything, unable to form words. The only sound that made it past his lips was a panicked utterance that might have been a yell if he could have managed to put the volume into it. No. No, no, no, he didn’t want this. _He didn’t want this._

"How curious..." Korekiyo muttered. "The way you face your fears... Or, perhaps...?"

Tugging Kurochi closer, Korekiyo stared into his eyes, piercing and cold, but remained silent. The silence carried on for several moments before Korekiyo sighed. "... Yellow."

And all at once, he released Kurochi's arm.

It took a minute for Kurochi to realize that his arm had been released. He blinked, temporarily disoriented by the shift and not sure what happened. His thoughts reemerged and he looked up at Korekiyo with confusion plain on his face, and yet now those yellow eyes had been closed.

“… Huh?”

"Yellow," Korekiyo repeated. "Yellow was the word we agreed upon, was it not?" Korekiyo opened his eyes, and his eyes weren’t nearly as sharp. In fact, it was warm.

"I have become too... uncomfortable with this ruse." As if to distract himself, he started playing with the talisman that was linked to the chain around his neck. "Or rather... it seems as if _you_ have grown too uncomfortable. You asked me to 'do as I please' regardless of any protest, however..."

Korekiyo quickly turned his attention back to Kurochi. "The expression you wore... is one I am most familiar with. I once knew that fear you held..." His voice trailed off, and he returned his gaze towards the talisman in his fingers.

Kurochi felt like he was still catching his breath, still gathering himself back up again. A... ruse. From the beginning, it wasn’t supposed to be real, it never was. Something that the person whose role he’d stepped into would’ve agreed on, and decided upon ‘safe words’ in case things did get too real.

His lips pressed into a thin line, eyes falling to the ground. He brought his hands together, fidgeting with the ends of his sleeves.

After several moments, Korekiyo finally spoke again; "... Someone has previously forced themselves upon you. Is that correct?"

The question made Kurochi’s eyes sting with how spot on it was.

He nodded, trying to find his voice again. He raised a hand to rub at one of his burning eyes. “I’m sorry, I should’ve...” Kurochi trailed off, unsure what to say. Should’ve said something during a time he had no affect on, should’ve said a safe word that he had no knowledge of... but Korekiyo didn’t know any of that, and he had to remind himself that he was still immersed in a fantasy that he’d messed up with his panic.

His eyes flickered back up to Korekiyo’s, and saw his own reflection in them. “… You too?”

Korekiyo rubbed his thumb over the talisman, quiet and contemplative. "I suppose in a way, yes. At first, I was resistant... however, as time passed, I became more... accustomed to it. I even learned to love it, and love that person in return." He refused to look at Kurochi as he spoke, still playing with the talisman in his hand.

"Sister was... a sickly girl. She did not have many friends, let alone anything of that nature. She chose me to fill that emptiness in her heart."

“Oh.” The thought of him being in a similar position, where he learned to love the things done to him, made Kurochi feel sick. He’d rather die than it ever come to that. Kurochi kept the thought to himself, however. It wasn’t the sort of conversation he thought he was capable of having without shattering this fantasy completely.

Kurochi thought it was a miracle that it was still continuing to begin with.

"I have heard that individuals whom have seen the more ugly side to humanity sometimes can find comfort in recreating their trauma in order to control it.” Korekiyo finally let the talisman slip from his fingers, and turned to face Kurochi. “That does not seem to be a suitable solution for you, however. I advise that you not try such a thing again. Not everyone can recognize the difference between reenactment and reality. Do you understand?"

At this, Kurochi nodded. “I understand.” Not that he’d ever consider doing so on his own, but he guessed that must be how it seemed with how things played out here. He wasn’t about to correct him if Korekiyo’s mind was filling in the blanks for him. “I won’t do this again.” Kurochi bowed his head. “Thank you. I’m sorry... about all this.”

"Do not apologize," Korekiyo started. "You were trying to cope with something horrible that you experienced and it didn't work for you. There is nothing wrong with trying to find ways to heal, Kurochi."

For one reason or another, Kurochi found himself shifting his weight, almost embarrassed by the validation. “Ah… okay.”

Korekiyo then closed his eyes once again. "I suppose in a way, I was curious as to what effect the ruse would have on me, as the one in the opposite position. However, it seems that even I have standards." He gave a soft sigh of relief, and then a chuckle. "Perhaps that is what I wanted to know the whole time."

As his eyes opened once again, he looked down at Kurochi, his golden eyes warm and gentle. "If you wish to leave, then so be it. However, there is one thing that I wish to say." Korekiyo brushed the hair out of his face before he tugged at the rim of his hat. "You are someone who has seen the very bowels of humanity and lived to tell the tale. You have survived, and you continue to do so while searching for methods of healing the wounds left behind. That is nothing to be ashamed of—in fact, I would say it is something to be very proud of."

Kurochi could feel his eyes widen, stinging with tears that he was just barely able to keep at bay. Even though his mask covered his mouth, Kurochi was sure there was a smile tugging at the corners of Korekiyo’s lips. "Your persistence to live and survive… to heal and to grow, despite the hell you've been through... is one of the most _beautiful_ things I have ever seen."

A strangled whine escaped from Kurochi. After wiping his eyes with his sleeve, Kurochi returned the smile. “Thank you, Kiyo.”

………

……

…

  
  



	3. Kokichi Ouma

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Mentions of abuse and suicide. Please take care when reading!

Kokichi Ouma, the Ultimate Supreme Leader.

What kind of fantasy would someone with such a title even have?

Not many people understood his twin, nor did many people even bother trying. With how Kokichi loved to tease, get under people’s skin and kept his true self hidden under several locks and keys, it was no wonder why people found him frustrating and hard to tolerate.

However, Kokichi was remarkable in his own right—knowing what to say and when to say it, being a master manipulator but only using his skills to lead others to happiness and victory. That was how Kokichi attracted the members of their organization, D.I.C.E., and how he became their leader.

Kurochi remembered the day fondly, when the family had collectively decided that Kokichi was to be their leader. His precious little brother was so choked up. It was one of those rare moments that Kokichi actually showed his true face, something so vulnerable and fragile. Not many people even knew this sentimental side of him even existed.

Finding Kokichi in this place, knowing that he’d be in the role of the other person’s ‘ideal’, had initially set Kurochi on edge. He worried about what sort of fantasy might play out here, with his own brother. He wouldn’t want to make his brother feel awful upon waking, but there was no way Kurochi could even pretend to be some sort of ideal lover for his brother. The thought sickened him.

However, Kokichi stood with a bright smile on his face, small beads of sweat coming from his forehead. He panted heavily, and Kurochi couldn’t help but to wonder if Kokichi hadn’t just finished sprinting.

"M-man, that was a close one! Those cops almost got us!" Kokichi exclaimed, laughing once and bowing over a little. He started taking deep breaths. "Jeez, it’s like a whole workout every time, isn’t it?" Kokichi giggled, straightening himself up and grinning wider. "Those guys won't ever find us here! We'll be safe, for now at least. Then, we can meet up with dad and the rest of D.I.C.E. tomorrow for the show! It's gonna be our best yet! Aren't you excited, Rochi?"

Kurochi found himself smiling back, laughing along with him and slipping into the role as easy as an old glove. This was no romantic fantasy. He recognized the scenario immediately—him and his brother running away from authorities after painting or posting vague information about their show. Harmless little crimes of vandalism that not even the authorities ever truly punished them for. Especially not when their shows brought so many smiles to the crowd. Maybe some found it petty, but it had become a ritual by that point. An old habit that died hard.

Kurochi’s smile became a grin. “Of course I’m excited!” It felt so normal to be talking like this, just another day traveling and performing with D.I.C.E., in between shows. “I can’t wait to see everyone’s faces during our performance.”

“I know, right?!” Kokichi seemed so excited, tucking his hands behind his head and grinning so wide. A genuine, happy smile. “It’s gonna be amazing! Our new juggling act is gonna blow people’s minds!” Kokichi panted some more, still catching his breath from the apparent run they just had. After a moment, however, he walked over to his brother and lightly batted at his shoulder. “Especially with such a cool guy like you! We just ran all that, and you’re not even breaking a sweat!”

“Really? Cool?” Kurochi couldn’t help but to laugh. Of course, he hadn’t _actually_ ran all that way with Kokichi, so it must’ve been weird for him not to be out of breath. “But I feel like my heart’s gonna explode; I don’t know how we got away so fast!” He held a hand over his chest, as if to calm a racing heart. He even gave a few good fake pants for good measure, but his brother raised a skeptical brow.

"Yeah! _Totally_ cool!" Kokichi exclaimed, grinning at him. "You're not even sweating! That's impressive. Have you been running off and getting chased around without me?" Suddenly, Kokichi frowned, fake tears gathering in his eyes. "Waaaah! My brother's been abandoning meeee without me even _realizing_ it! That's _sooo_ meaaan!"

“Geez, of course not!” He snickered at his brother’s dramatic fake tears. “When would I be getting chased by myself?” Kurochi nudged his brother’s shoulder, his grin widening. “You’re so _silly.”_

“You better not be!” Kokichi cried out, though his lips curled into a grin, giving away the act. “As my twin brother, you gotta be eating the exact same foods as me, have the exact same hair cut, and run around the same amount! Otherwise, we won’t be able to do twin pranks anymore!”

“Is _that_ all you’re worried about…?”

“Of course!” The corners of Kokichi’s mouth twitched, and suddenly, the smile looked just a little forced. “So! Are you worried about tomorrow? It’s gonna be the first time we perform our new set in front of a crowd!”

The shift was off putting, and it made Kurochi mentally fumble for a moment. His brother was always so subtle in so many ways, but if there was one thing he knew about Kokichi, is that Kokichi would change the subject somewhat suddenly if he felt cornered or if approached with a topic he wasn’t comfortable with.

Was Kokichi worried about something?

Kurochi mentally shook himself out of his thoughts before smiling. “I’m more excited than anything!” He shifted his weight. “I guess I’m kinda nervous, too.”

"Huuuh? Nervous? Why are you nervous?” Kokichi tilted his head, and Kurochi saw his eyes flicker around, studying his expression. Calculating and cold. It was the look his brother had whenever he was determining if someone was lying or not, and just being subjected to it made Kurochi that much more anxious.

Soon, however, those eyes warmed back up, and Kokichi’s smile returned. “We've been practicing our new set for months! Are you getting stage fright on me all of a sudden?"

“Of course not! I’m not gonna get stage fright, I’ll be fine.” Kurochi fiddled with the end of his sleeve. “But... I can still be a little nervous about actually performing it, right? It’s different that practicing.”

There was no way Kokichi fell for the lie. Kurochi knew that his brother was a master at picking up lies, and especially more so when it was someone he knew for all of his life. With how Kokichi’s eyes were still scanning him, it was a wonder why he _didn’t_ call out the lie.

"I guess you're right. Practicing _is_ different than performing it." Kokichi hummed, though he tucked his hands behind his head and grinned widely. "Still! We've never messed up the routine in our practices, so everything's gonna be fine!"

Suddenly, however, Kokichi's cheer fell from his face, and he let his arms fall to his sides. "... Unless it's not the performance that's got you nervous."

The shift caught Kurochi completely off guard. “Huh? What do you mean?”

Kokichi hung his head, gazing at the floor. His hands were shaking. "... It's been years since we've been here. Japan's such a small place in comparison to the whole wide world, isn't it? And... _he's_ still here, isn't he?"

“… Ah.”

Even if Kurochi knew it wasn’t real, the fear still crept up on him as Kokichi painted the scene for him. The night before a performance in Japan... and the lurking terror of _that man_ finding them and dragging them back to that house again.

It made him feel sick to just imagine encountering their father again. A tall, powerful looking man with slicked-back hair and eyes that were colder than ice. Not thinking of him was easier said than done. Kurochi had to repeatedly tell himself that it wasn’t real. Their father couldn’t hurt them here.

Kokichi didn’t know that though. This was a part of the fantasy, after all.

Kokichi's expression grew dark and somber. Kurochi saw him ball his fists in order to hide the fact that they were shaking. "I guess that'd be a really good reason to be nervous. Ehe. Still, he can't get us now, right? So don't be afraid.” Kokichi forced out a reassuring smile. “Tomorrow's gonna be a great show and we'll totally nail our juggling act, and Dad's gonna make us spicy curry afterwards because we're gonna be so awesome! So try not to think about _that man,_ yeah? He's got nothing to do with us now."

Kurochi reached out to grab his brother’s shaking hands, pulling them out to press them together between both of his, smiling gently. “Yeah, we’re gonna be okay. He’s not even gonna know we were here and we’re gonna have a great show and celebrate afterwards with Dad’s cooking! You and me... and the rest of our family now... it’s gonna be great. We’re together and we’re safe.”

His brother forced out a laugh. "Well, yeah. I just said that, didn't I? What, are you trying to comfort _me?"_ Kokichi tugged his hands away, laughing again. It still sounded forced. "No duh we're safe. It's not like Dad's gonna let him get anywhere near us! And... I won't let him get near you, okay?"

It wasn't hard for Kurochi to tell that Kokichi’s hands were still shaking. Subtle and barely visible. You would have to know he was shaking to begin with to really see the trembling in his fingers. "Anyway! Man, we haven't been here since we were twelve. That's a _really_ long time, you know! I wonder how Japan's changed without us."

“Yeah, it’s been a long time...” Kurochi wished that Kokichi wouldn’t avoid talking about what was on his mind so much, even in an ideal fantasy. “It might be a whole different place now.”

“Heh, yeah.” Kokichi nodded in agreement. "I bet we won’t even recognize it, it’ll be so different...”

Kokichi’s expression warped, from a false smile to a small, thoughtful frown. “We're definitely in a far better place than when we were kids, huh? A... far better place. Yeah." The thoughtfulness quickly turned to discomfort, and Kokichi shifted his weight. "Aaaanyway, we should go to bed. Big day and all, right?"

Always running away from confrontations, whether it be metaphorical or literal. Kurochi didn’t want his brother to go to bed with such a troubled mind, so he pressed a curled index finger to his lips. He considered his brother, the room, and the bed, before a warm smile found its way on his lips. “Hey, actually, while we’re here, before we go to bed...”

Kurochi moved over to the bed, placing his hand against the lush duvet of the bed. Closing his fist around it, he tugged it partially off the bed, knocking pillows to the floor as he did. “Let’s make a pillow fort first. It’s been forever since we’ve done one, can we?”

"Huuuh?" Kokichi tilted his head, genuinely surprised by the offer, but it didn't take him a second longer before he started grinning. "Oh, yeah, yeah! It's been fooorever since we made one! Nee-heehee, and with these pillows and blankets, I bet it's gonna be the best pillow fort ever!"

Kokichi seemed to be more than happy to oblige with the distraction, making a beeline for the pillows and immediately starting to fuss with them to make a fort on the ground in front of the bed.

They worked quietly until the pillow fort was complete—somehow with far more pillows than the bed had even given them. Apparently, Kokichi had a natural talent for hunting and finding literally every pillow in a confined space imaginable. That, or maybe the fantasy provided the pillows Kokichi desired in order to fulfill the fantasy. Kurochi wasn’t sure.

 _"Voilà!"_ Kokichi explained, jumping back from their fort and presenting it. "The Ouma Twins' Super Special Secret Cozy Hang Out! Version... uh... twenty five? Twenty six? How many pillow forts have we made again? Way more than that, I bet... More like, version two hundred and twenty seven!"

The silliness made Kurochi giggle. _“Actually,_ it’s version two hundred and twenty _eight,”_ he corrected in a mockingly-haughty tone.

"Oooooh, was I really one off?" Kokichi laughed. "Good thing one of us is good with numbers! I'm tooootally shit at math, so you gotta be the one who's better at it!" Kokichi laughed, and immediately, he hunched down and crawled into the fort. He curled up and grinned. "Ha! I was right! The coziest pillows and blankets ever! Man, at least this place isn't stingy about the bedding. Come on, Rochi! Come join me!"

Kurochi chuckled as he crawled in as well, flopping over against the plush cushions. “Mmm, feels nice. These are the best blankets and pillows ever, we gotta get some too someday.”

“Hell yeah!” Kokichi agreed. He quickly wrapped his arms around Kurochi in a warm hug. “Definitely on our to-do list.”

As Kurochi settle himself into the embrace, however, Kokichi's smile lessened. He started shifting his weight, seemingly trying to get comfortable without ever being able to. Kokichi tapped his fingers against the fabric on his brother's arm, humming quietly but unable to close his eyes.

He looked anxious. Kurochi waited, hugging him tight. In the enclosure of pillows and bedding, it felt secret, safer somehow, and he hoped it’d help Kokichi speak his mind to him. Moments turned to minutes, and Kurochi started to wonder if he wondered if he should say something to prompt him

Before he could think of something to say, however, Kokichi spoke again. His voice was fragile and barely above a whisper. "Hey, Kurochi...?" The use of his brother's full name added weight to the tone, making things extraordinarily heavy. "Can we... talk? About... before we ran away?"

“Before...? Ah.” Kurochi began to trace his fingers in absent circles over Kokichi’s back. With how anxious Kokichi was, he hoped that the motions would soothe him, even if only a little. Perhaps they were even meant to help soothe himself. “Yeah, course we can. What... um. Did you have anything in mind?”

Kokichi fell silent. He continued to nervously tap his fingers, staring at his brother with a neutral expression carved from stone. He continued to fidget, but soon, Kokichi forced out a laugh. "Never mind! It's nothing, no big deal. Let's just go to bed now. We got a big day tomorrow, you know? A really big, important day! Our first big show in Japan!"

While Kokichi always had a tendency to run away from conversations that made him uncomfortable, Kurochi still found himself surprised. “Huh? Hey—“

Avoiding his eyes, Kokichi stopped tapping his fingers and laughed again. He didn't roll over to completely turn away from his brother, but he did roll over and laid on his back. Kokichi closed his eyes. "G’niiight Rochi! Sleep well, sweet dreams, okay?"

Kurochi rose, propping himself up on his elbow to look down at his brother. With how clearly anxious he’d just been, Kurochi doubted that his brother would succeed at sleeping if he let the subject drop. “Hey, c’mon, Kokichi, talk to me. What did you wanna talk about?”

He swallowed against a lump in his throat. Knowing that Kokichi wanted to talk about something from before yet not knowing what it could be made Kurochi antsy as well.

Kokichi remained silent, and Kurochi sighed. Of course, nothing was easy when it came to Kokichi. Kurochi tried to pout, but genuine concern dominated his expression. “Even if it’s not that big a deal, I still wanna know. Please, Kii-chi?”

Kokichi's forced smile turned into a frown, and he initially turned his head away from his brother, but only slightly. Kokichi raised his hand to scratch at the side of his head, eyes barley opened yet still directed away from Kurochi. "... Jeeeez, you're not gonna let it drop now, are you? I shouldn't have said anything... Really, it's fine." Despite insisting so, Kokichi couldn't keep still, shifting with obvious discomfort.

“Kokichi...” Concern and anxiety latched onto his words. “Please…?”

Upon hearing his name, Kokichi made the mistake of finally looking at Kurochi’s face. Eventually, he sighed and relented. "Okay, fine. I just... I don't..." He let his hand fall back to his side and started tapping his fingers on the blanket underneath him. "Promise me you won't get mad at me, and then I'll talk. Okay? Promise?"

“I promise. Pinkie swear,” he said immediately, laying back down at his brother’s side, although Kokichi averted his gaze again. Kurochi wondered what had him so anxious, and even afraid that it’d make Kurochi upset at him.

Kokichi remained silent.

“You can talk to me about anything, Kokichi. I won’t get mad at you,” Kurochi said. “Really, anything. I promise not to be mad.”

Silence still, and it lasted for a minute or two longer. There were several times where Kokichi would try to speak, but no sound came from him.

Eventually, he turned to face his brother again, studying his expression while keeping his own neutral. "... It's about the day we... decided to run away. Or, well... the day before. I guess. Maybe." Kokichi continued to fidget, nearly to the point of squirming, before he muttered in a low voice; "I found something. Something of yours that... scared me. That's been scaring me, and now it's scaring me more than ever because we're back here." Kokichi closed his eyes, and pressed his lips together into a thin line. "... I, uh. I lied to you. I lied when I said I couldn't... take it anymore. I lied."

“You… lied?”

“Yeah.” Kokichi nodded. He squeezed his eyes shut. “I lied. I didn’t want to run away.”

While Kurochi was surprised to hear Kokichi upset over something his that he found, Kurochi was even _more_ surprised to find out that Kokichi’s admission back then was a lie.

"I mean, not that I wanted to _stay_ there or anything, but I was... _way_ more afraid of him than anything else. I was afraid of failing, of getting hurt, but... But then I found _it,_ and it scared me more than he did, and I—I'm sorry." Kokichi started trembling, vicious enough to where it was visible, and he gritted his teeth together. "I knew it was trash, and I shouldn't have fished it out of the garbage when I saw it, but I saw your handwriting and I got curious. I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry..."

As Kokichi spoke, Kurochi’s brows furrowed. It took a minute for Kurochi to remember what Kokichi might be talking about. When he did, a wave of nausea hit him and he cringed—there was so little that Kokichi could be referring to. Something that scared him, something he’d written and trashed, something Kokichi was apologizing for reading now. “Wait… You’re talking about—”

"Yeah," Kokichi blurted out, interrupting him. He was still tense and shaking, but he opened his eyes. "I read one of your... suicide letters."

Silence engulfed them as Kokichi waited for some kind of reaction and Kurochi being unable to react. Their gazes locked on each other and unable to turn away. Kurochi finally understood why Kokichi was acting the way he had been. Maybe he’d be upset back then, feeling hurt and cornered but not because of Kokichi. _Never_ because of Kokichi.

Now, he only felt an overwhelming guilt for scaring his brother. Kurochi hoped that, despite the instructions that had come with the Love Key, he could remember this in the morning. He didn’t want this talk to remain only in fantasy if it still scared Kokichi.

Kokichi was shaking, terrified and visibly distraught. It hurt to see, and especially to know that what he’d done had affected his brother so profoundly. “No, no, shh. It’s okay, you’re—” Kurochi closed his eyes, his mouth twisted in a frown. “I’m sorry, back then I—I wasn’t thinking.”

"No... that was the problem. You _were_ thinking. You were thinking about how awful everything was and how little you wanted to live because of it." Kurochi opened his eyes to see that Kokichi's expression had hardened. "And... I don't know why you threw out that letter to begin with—it wasn't even finished—but you were so close to killing yourself and I hadn't even realized it until... Until I saw it."

While Kokichi had been staring at his brother initially, he couldn't help but to let his gaze fall away. "I... I don't know what he was doing to you. I never knew, and I'm not gonna force you to tell me what he did that made you feel so trapped and hurt, but... I, I should have known better, that he was hurting you so bad. Even if he never _beat_ you the same as he did me, he still hurt you somehow and I don't—I don't know." Kokichi gritted his teeth. "I don't know what he did to you but I think about how if I hadn't found that letter in the trash, I... I could have lost you. I _would_ have lost you."

Kurochi’s eyes started to sting, listening to his brother’s emotions spill over and through his mask. “Kokichi...”

Kokichi finally wrapped his arms around him, and his fingers gripping onto the fabric of Kurochi’s shirt tightly. "And now... we're back here, in Japan. Where he can find us. Where he could do something horrible and trap us again. I don't care what he does to me, but... what he did to you..." His voice trailed off, and he buried his face in Kurochi's shoulder. "I don't want that _monster_ to ever lay his hands on you, never again. I don't want to lose you, I don't want him to take you from me like he almost did when we were kids, I don't want you to be there ever again." Kokichi's trembling grew worse, and he choked back a whine. "I don't want you to think you have to write another letter like that _ever_ again."

Kurochi had no idea. Absolutely no clue that Kokichi had read that, a suicide letter left half-finished and then trashed when the urge had left him. Not long after that, Kokichi had come in and hugged him so tightly, telling Kurochi that he couldn’t take living there anymore and that he wanted to run away, the both of them.

He didn’t know that his own words had been what pushed Kokichi into it.

The tears were hot in his eyes as he squeezed his brother as tightly as he could, never wanting to let go of him. “I’m sorry,” he said, his voice choked up and wavering. “I’m sorry, I don’t want to leave you. I never ever want to leave you.”

Kokichi hushed Kurochi as he apologized, rubbing his back to soothe him. "Don't apologize... It's not like you can help how you felt.”

Kurochi wished that he’d thought more about how much that’d hurt Kokichi if he went through with it. He never wanted to do that to him, no matter how miserable he felt. “He’s not gonna... he’s not ever gonna touch us ever again. D.I.C.E... they won’t let him. They won’t let him get close to us. You aren’t gonna lose me. Never, I promise.”

“I know. No one will ever touch you or hurt you ever again. We won't let them." With that said, Kokichi relaxed in Kurochi's arms, and gave a soft laugh. "... You know, I was so afraid you'd be really mad at me for reading that letter. I've been wanting to talk to you about it for so long, but I was... too afraid until now. I was really afraid something bad might happen if I told you the truth..." Kokichi trailed off for a moment. "... Actually, I feel like... a lot of the time, I'm way too afraid to do things on my own. Shocking, I know, but... I don't think I could be a juggler without you, or the leader of D.I.C.E., or... I don't think I ever would have run away if it wasn't for you being there."

Kokichi nuzzled his face further into Kurochi's shoulder, this time far more warm and gentle. "When you're by my side, I feel like I can do way more than when I'm on my own. You make me feel... brave.”

Kurochi’s eyes grew wide in disbelief. “Huh? I do?” He didn’t know how to react to that, except to vehemently deny it. Yet as much as he felt like he held Kokichi back more than anything, Kurochi didn't insist as such. This was Kokichi's fantasy after all. He didn't want to ruin it with his own insecurities… and yet, he still couldn't believe it. “I... make you feel braver?”

“Well, _yeah._ ” Kokichi said, as if it was so obvious. “I don't think anyone else could give me the courage to do anything like you do."

“Really?” Realizing he was still squeezing Kokichi, Kurochi let his arms loosen a little, although he remained just as close. “You really think so?”

"Yeah... of course." Kokichi smiled, despite the fact he had his face still buried in his brother's shoulder. "I feel like I can do almost anything when you're there with me. That's not a lie, you know? I mean it."

A far more comfortable silence fell between them, and Kurochi couldn’t help but to think of what he would have been missing out on had Kokichi never sought him out and demanded they escape from that horrid house. He never would have met D.I.C.E. or became a juggler. He never would have seen all of the smiles he and his brother made within the crowd. He never would have seen the world, nor would have seen it in such a better light.

He would have missed out on so many wonderful things. Even if they were both in the killing game now, utterly terrified of dying and the death of their classmates, Kurochi wouldn’t have changed a thing.

“I couldn’t be mad at you, you know.” Kurochi mumbled, giving his brother a light nuzzle. “Not over something like that. And you... because of that you saved my life, Kokichi. You know that?”

Kokichi squirmed a little in his arms, muttering a soft sound in acknowledgment. Maybe he wouldn’t have done anything that night, or even over the next few, but Kurochi didn’t think that he’d have made it to see their thirteenth birthday.

“You make _me_ feel braver, actually,” Kurochi admitted. “And you’ve always made it so... so that I felt like I could be a little stronger. No matter how bad things were, you made it at least a little better.”

“Mmm...” Kokichi tightened the hug before loosening his grip. “… Yeah.”

A second or two ticked by. Finally, Kokichi spoke again, voice warm and yet so fragile; "Thank you... for being someone I can always be honest with."

Kokichi’s honesty warmed him; he couldn’t doubt his brother’s words even if he wanted to. Part of him couldn’t believe that just his presence encouraged Kokichi so much, but he couldn’t detect a hint of dishonesty in anything that Kokichi told him. A little smile tugged at the corners of his lips and he squeezed his brother back. “No problem.”

A few more seconds ticked by before Kokichi pulled away, whining. "Okay! No more mushy garbage! I think I might die from the fuzzy warm feelings. I _am_ a supreme leader of evil, you know! I melt at the first signs of affection. Look—" Kokichi wriggled around, trying to make himself sink into the pillows. "I'm meeeelting! _Meltiiiiiing!"_

Kurochi giggled as Kokichi tried to burrow into the pillows that made up the floor of their little fort. He sat up, grabbing one of the floor-pillows to smack it over Kokichi’s head. “Geez! You’re so—you’re just so...” He couldn’t finish the thought, laughing at his brother’s antics too much. “You’re ridiculous!”

"No, I'm meeeeeltiiiiing!" Kokichi cried out, grinning, despite the pillow to his face. "Meeeeeltiiing! Tell my tale, Rochi! Don't let anyone ever forget the Ultimate Supreme Leader that was once your brother!"

Puffing out his cheeks in order to resist smiling further, Kurochi flopped over on top of Kokichi. Kokichi gave a soft ‘oof!’ from the impact, but it didn’t stop Kurochi from crying out; “Don’t melt, you’ll make a mess! And then _I’ll_ have to clean it all up by myself!”

Kokichi closed his eyes and stuck out his tongue, pretending to be dead. Yet he was giggling all the while, unable to keep a straight face despite the fact he was playing dead.

“Kiiiii-chiiii!” Kurochi whined, rolling on top of his brother. “You can’t be dead! You’re too young to die! Little brothers aren’t supposed to die first!”

Kokichi opened his eyes and pouted. “Hey, I’m only _seven_ minutes younger than you.”

“Actually,” Kurochi said in a mockingly-haughty tone, grinning widely. “It’s seven and a _half_ minutes.”

“Oh my _god!”_ Kokichi grabbed the pillow Kurochi used to hit him and shoved it into his brother’s face. “Shut up, puzzle nerd.”

Kurochi squirmed to free his face from the pillow, and grinned even wider. “Aww, is my cute wittle baby brother getting upseeeeet ‘cause he’s the baby of the family?”

Kokichi promptly shoved the pillow right back into Kurochi’s face. “You know all those times I said I loved you? Well, I take it all back. I hate you, you’re _insufferable.”_

A laugh escaped from Kurochi, and when he tried to speak only more giggles and laughter came from him. Yes, things were horrible in the past. Things were horrible in the waking world as they spoke. Yet he couldn’t help but to lose himself in this fantasy, where he could escape reality for just a little while. When he was with his brother, even then, he felt like everything would be okay.

Yes, as long as they were together, everything would turn out just fine.

………

……

…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ho boy, this one was about double the length of Korekiyo's. What can you do? It's Kokichi. The boy takes forever to do anything. 
> 
> Anyway, I sort of want to give a little background on this one, since it's debatable if some of the Canon LSE's are romantic in nature or not--in this case, it is very much not a romantic "ideal" Kokichi is imagining here.
> 
> I always personally believed that Kokichi's "ideal" would be someone who is the best version of themselves. For example, Shuichi was a detective in Kokichi's LSE in the canon and basically himself not because he is Kokichi's ideal lover, but Kokichi's ideal is someone whom remains true to themselves while also enjoying his company.
> 
> For Kokichi, Kurochi is already at that stage of "ideal," as Kokichi's ideal older twin brother. So basically, nothing really changes.
> 
> Anyway, me and L wrote this together of course, and thank you to FJ, Ari, and rwbypro on tumblr for beta reading and pointing out typos an stuff! Thanks so much!
> 
> As always, L and I hope you enjoyed reading! Take care!


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